Evan Silva

Matchups

Matchups: Vick Will Lick 49ers

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Calvin Johnson's league-high six receiving touchdowns is the fact that he's truly been "open" on just one of them. (Last week's five-yarder in the back of the end zone.) Megatron has beaten Brandon Flowers and Aqib Talib -- two of the NFL's best young corners -- for four of the scores (two apiece), including two when Flowers and Talib had safety help. His 32-yard TD in Week 3 came in Vikings LCB Chris Cook's sticky man coverage; Megatron simply out-physicaled Cook for a jump ball. Johnson usually faces off with left corners, so he'll see a lot of aging Terence Newman in Dallas. Megatron whipped Newman on a routine post route for a 14-yard score in Week 11 last year and will continue to give the 33-year-old fits. He's the best fantasy receiver going. ... Matthew Stafford has a 15:3 TD-to-INT ratio in his last five games and has opened the year averaging 313 yards a week. He's a top-five fantasy quarterback.

Nate Burleson and Brandon Pettigrew are swapping big games, as Burleson returns from a 12-yard clunker while the burly tight end exposed Minnesota's Cover 2 for career highs in catches (11) and yards (112). Burleson and Pettigrew will remain inconsistent in fantasy as secondary passing-game options who also "compete" for targets with Jahvid Best, Tony Scheffler, and situational deep threat Titus Young. The good news is one of them will be productive this week. The bad news is there's little telling who it will be. ... Dallas' defense was vulnerable to tailback screens and swings last Monday night, as Tim Hightower and Roy Helu combined for 56 yards and a TD on seven Week 3 receptions. Dallas gave up 80 yards on seven grabs to Jets backs in Week 1, so this has become a trend. Through three games, Best ranks in the top five in receptions and receiving yards among running backs. Expect another strong PPR effort. ... Young is playing a respectable 61.6% of the Lions' offensive snaps with 15 targets in the last two games. He's a WR4 in fantasy, but will be worth WR3 consideration when bye weeks set in.

No tight end in the league has been targeted as frequently as Jason Witten so far, and he’ll keep it up until Miles Austin (hamstring) returns in Week 6. There is also growing concern in Dallas about Dez Bryant after his lingering quadriceps strain "stiffened up" when Bryant awoke Thursday morning. Witten is a very good bet to lead the Cowboys in receiving. ... Bryant appears to be a game-time decision for Week 4. At least we'll know his status early because this is a 1ET game. Fantasy owners did not have that luxury in Week 3, with the Cowboys hosting the Redskins on Monday Night Football. ... Confidently avoid Laurent Robinson, Kevin Ogletree, and Jesse Holley regardless of Bryant's availability. Robinson doesn't know the playbook after signing with Dallas just over a week ago. Ogletree should know where to line up because he's been a Cowboy since 2009, but didn't against Washington, alligator-armed a would-be touchdown catch, and also lost a fumble. Ogletree is a terrible player. Holley didn't have a Week 3 reception.

Dallas finally got its run game on track against the Skins, as Felix Jones ripped off second-half gains of 27, 29, and 40 yards. Tashard Choice has been Ogletree-bad and DeMarco Murray is averaging 2.70 YPC, so neither backup is pushing for more work. With Jones finally playing well, having avoided a setback with his shoulder, and the receiver corps all kinds of banged up, a season high in touches may be in store for Dallas' explosive feature back. One of the Lions' stoutest defenders, SLB Justin Durant, will not play due to a concussion. Jones could catch fire in the next month. His next four games come against the Lions (30th in yards-per-carry allowed), Patriots (20th), Rams (31st), and Eagles (29th). Hope that shoulder holds up. ... Owners with an elite backup quarterback can consider sitting Tony Romo in what may be a run-heavy attack on Dallas' side. The tiebreaker should be whether Bryant is active for the game, but it's worth keeping in mind that the Lions rank fourth against the pass and have allowed only two passing scores.

Score Prediction: Lions 24, Cowboys 17

Pittsburgh @ Houston

Losing O-Linemen left and right and getting poor per-play production from Rashard Mendenhall (3.02 season YPC), the Steelers quickly abandoned the run in Week 3, allowing Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to take over the game for long stretches. It nearly cost Pittsburgh the win, but is OC Bruce Arians really to blame? The Steelers have no front-five cohesiveness due to weekly injuries, and Mendenhall was never an overly elusive back, needing holes to gain yards. Houston is mediocre against the run (No. 17 rank, 4.80 yards per carry allowed), but Indy was supposed to present an even easier matchup. It's hard to recommend buying low on Mendenhall when he's in a bad situation and the coaching staff won't stick with him. Ben Roethlisberger ended up with more than double the pass attempts Mendenhall had carries, as Arians resorted to a spread offense. All fantasy owners can really do is hope it gets better. ... Antonio Brown seems to have moved ahead of Emmanuel Sanders with at least 67 receiving yards in back-to-back games. Sanders has yet to top 44 on the year. According to Pro Football Focus, Brown has played 111 snaps through three games. Sanders has 90. They're both in need of injuries to truly matter.

At 35 after countless surgeries, Hines Ward has clearly lost steam. In his last nine games, Ward is averaging under four catches for 39 yards yet still playing 86.5% of the snaps. The Steelers will need to increase Sanders and/or Brown's involvement at some point, because Ward is holding the passing game hostage. He can't get open, and isn't worth a fantasy roster spot. ... On the flip side, Mike Wallace has at least 102 receiving yards in six consecutive regular season games, with touchdowns in four of them. Dating back to November of 2010 (a 12-game stretch), Wallace is averaging 107.1 total yards per game. "60 Minutes" is currently the No. 3 overall fantasy receiver. Wallace plays on both sides of the field, so he should avoid top Texans CB Johnathan Joseph for plenty of Week 4 downs. ... With his O-Line struggling mightily and Ward failing to get free, Big Ben is 23rd among quarterbacks in fantasy scoring. Houston's defense presents far from a pushover matchup, so Roethlisberger owners can feel comfortable sitting him until he picks it up.

While the Steelers' defense has appeared vulnerable to rushing attacks early this season (No. 12 rank, 4.58 YPC allowed), this is a wait-and-see week for Texans backs. Arian Foster swears up and down that he's over his hamstring injury, but said similar things leading up to Week 2. He'd go on to last just two quarters, averaging 3.3 yards on 10 carries and lacking his usual acceleration. The Texans had to shut Foster down at halftime. Foster has suffered two too many setbacks for confident fantasy usage and is much more high-risk RB2/flex than RB1 this week. Coach Gary Kubiak confirmed Wednesday that Foster will be on a play count. ... Ben Tate remains fantasy football's most valuable handcuff, but the Texans only plan to give him 8-12 touches. He's no longer a worthwhile flex option. ... While Pittsburgh's defense has scuffled against run games, it ranks first against the pass, allowing a league-low 5.02 yards per passing play. In a tough matchup with relatively low projected scoring (45-point over/under), Schaub is back to QB2 status.

Update: Kubiak changed his mind on Friday, after Foster turned in his third straight full practice of the week. Foster is going to get the rock early and often against Pittsburgh. "He looks good," said the Texans' head coach. "We're going to put him back to work full-time and see how he holds up." Foster practiced well enough to convince both the Texans' medical and coaching staffs to give him 25 (roughly) touches against the Steelers. He's a more confident fantasy play now.

Pittsburgh has allowed the fewest 20-yard completions in the league, so look for the Texans to attack over the middle with Andre Johnson, keeping him away from RCB Ike Taylor's side. In Johnson's last meeting with the Steelers, he rang up 10 catches for 112 yards ... Beware Owen Daniels reverting to a block-first role ala Dallas Clark against Pittsburgh last Sunday night. Daniels remains a viable low-end TE1, but the Steelers don't offer nearly as favorable a tight end matchup as Daniels experienced at New Orleans. ... James Casey enjoyed a career game in Week 3, lining up at H-back, tailback, tight end, slot receiver, and out wide en route to a 137-total yard day. While Casey has the athleticism, versatility, and sure hands to be a fantasy asset, owners need to approach this situation with caution. Casey has never been used like that before, and Kubiak conceded afterwards that the Texans specifically game planned for Casey's role to expand with Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones, and two running backs banged up. Only time can tell whether Casey's use as a legitimate yardage threat will last. His previous career high was 48 yards.

Score Prediction: Steelers 20, Texans 19

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

Medically cleared from his hand injury and exceptionally motivated to prove his doubters wrong -- Michael Vick gave himself a "100 percent chance" to play while vowing "to play the whole game regardless, they will have to cart me off the field" -- there isn't a better Week 4 quarterback start than Philadelphia's so-far scuffling passer. While the 49ers rank 16th in pass defense on paper, they've faced Cincinnati and Seattle, and in between were lit up by Tony Romo for 345 yards and two touchdowns with Romo missing 20 snaps due to a punctured lung. There is a very good chance that this is the week Vick will explode. ... DeSean Jackson is averaging only 52 yards per game because defenses are keeping their safeties deep in order to halt the Eagles' deep threat. But the Niners don't keep their strong safety deep, instead using Donte Whitner "in the box" as a fifth linebacker. Jackson is going to go off in short order, and you don't want to be late to that dance. He's also likely to see more targets because Jeremy Maclin (hamstring) may not be 100 percent.

Maclin is listed as probable for the game after practicing on Thursday and Friday. While the possibility of an in-game aggravation is real, he should be in fantasy lineups as a WR2. With Jackson drawing the deep coverage, Maclin has racked up 19 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns on the season, ranking 12th among receivers in fantasy points. ... LeSean McCoy continues to make a case for top-five NFL running back consideration. Possessing perhaps the best combination of versatility and explosiveness east of Oakland, Shady is averaging 131.3 total yards per game and is second to only Darren McFadden in fantasy running back scoring. Don't even worry about San Francisco's run defense ranking, because McCoy will juke through and run around it. ... It's the same old story for Brent Celek this year. He's dropped two of his 12 targets on the season, and according to Pro Football Focus has blocked on 62.3% of his snaps. Move along.

The 49ers' putrid passing attack is in for another long day at Philly. Ranked second in sacks and eighth in passing yards allowed, the combination of Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel, and Alex Smith will likely take Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan out of the game. ... Tony Gonzalez found enough seams in Philly's defense to drop seven catches, 83 yards, and two TDs on it in Week 2. The Iggles figure to pay more attention to Vernon Davis, but 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is making sure Davis is Smith's first read on every passing play. The Niners will employ an offense that runs the football to set up Davis. He's led the Niners in targets, catches, and yards in 2-of-3 games. ... Multiple reports indicate that Frank Gore's ankle injury will limit his role on Sunday, and Gore has independently said he doesn't even know if he'll be active. Gore needs to be on fantasy benches. He's banged up, has been thoroughly ineffective (2.51 YPC), and could conceivably do more pass blocking while Kendall Hunter leads the 49ers' backfield in rushes and receptions. ... Hunter led the league in preseason rushing. The Ray Rice clone offers big-play ability and versatility in spades, and would be worth an RB2/flex start should Gore appear on the Sunday inactives list. The Eagles have no continuity at linebacker and rank 30th against the run, yielding 4.93 YPC.

Score Prediction: Eagles 30, 49ers 13

Minnesota @ Kansas City

Vikings DT Kevin Williams' Week 3 return from suspension had its expected effect, rendering the Lions' offense one-dimensional. Minnesota held Detroit rushers to 20 yards on 19 attempts (1.05 YPC) with a long run of five yards. The Lions' ground game is no juggernaut, of course, but nor is Kansas City's. Dead-legged 33-year-old Thomas Jones was predictably ineffective in his first crack at the Chiefs' lead back job, gaining 33 scoreless yards on 15 touches (2.2 average) against a San Diego defense reeling with injuries. Dexter McCluster, in fact, wound up playing six more snaps than Jones and was at least somewhat productive with 62 yards on 14 touches (4.43). The Chiefs will presumably keep the veteran involved simply because they don't believe McCluster can hold up on full workloads, but you don't want Jones anywhere near your fantasy team, let alone in the starting lineup. McCluster is the only valuable back in Kansas City, and he's just a PPR option.

Dwayne Bowe is lucky to have a 100-yard game and a touchdown to his credit three weeks into the season, because the setup around him is devastating for fantasy production. Expect him to begin being taken out of games shortly. Bowe is a double- and triple-team magnet as the lone dangerous player in his offense. His quarterback is an inaccurate passer with awful pocket presence, lacking a running game as protection. Bowe has enough early-year production and big-name value to command something worthwhile in a trade. If Bowe comes up with another solid game, move him quickly. ... Steve Breaston is averaging two catches for 29.3 yards without a touchdown through three games. The Chiefs should have signed a more physical, run-after-catch receiver in the offseason -- someone capable of turning a short Matt Cassel pass into a long gain.

Things are looking up for Percy Harvin, who played all but 13 of the Week 3 snaps (74.5%) after the Vikings' staff pathetically used him 50.9% of the time in the first two games. With Chiefs top CB Brandon Flowers (ankle) hobbled, Harvin needs to be in fantasy lineups after a slow start. He's playing more, looks to have a terrific matchup, and has 14 touches to go with 13 targets in the past two weeks. ... Molasses Michael Jenkins caught a bunch of short passes last Sunday and didn't get very far. Jenkins has no hint of big-play ability. He's yet to exceed 10 yards per reception in a week as a Viking, and has four touchdowns in his last 39 games. ... Out-awfulling even pal Chad Ochocinco, Bernard Berrian is a sorry excuse for an NFL receiver. He has one catch on ten targets this year. Since the beginning of the 2010 season, Berrian and Jenkins have 917 yards, a 10.79 YPR average, and three TDs between them. In 27 combined games played. Donovan McNabb has no chance. ... Adrian Peterson has somehow overcome an easy-to-defend offense and bottom-five O-Line to rank sixth among fantasy backs. He should destroy the Chiefs.

Score Prediction: Vikings 20, Chiefs 10

1:00PM ET Games

Detroit @ Dallas

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Calvin Johnson's league-high six receiving touchdowns is the fact that he's truly been "open" on just one of them. (Last week's five-yarder in the back of the end zone.) Megatron has beaten Brandon Flowers and Aqib Talib -- two of the NFL's best young corners -- for four of the scores (two apiece), including two when Flowers and Talib had safety help. His 32-yard TD in Week 3 came in Vikings LCB Chris Cook's sticky man coverage; Megatron simply out-physicaled Cook for a jump ball. Johnson usually faces off with left corners, so he'll see a lot of aging Terence Newman in Dallas. Megatron whipped Newman on a routine post route for a 14-yard score in Week 11 last year and will continue to give the 33-year-old fits. He's the best fantasy receiver going. ... Matthew Stafford has a 15:3 TD-to-INT ratio in his last five games and has opened the year averaging 313 yards a week. He's a top-five fantasy quarterback.

Nate Burleson and Brandon Pettigrew are swapping big games, as Burleson returns from a 12-yard clunker while the burly tight end exposed Minnesota's Cover 2 for career highs in catches (11) and yards (112). Burleson and Pettigrew will remain inconsistent in fantasy as secondary passing-game options who also "compete" for targets with Jahvid Best, Tony Scheffler, and situational deep threat Titus Young. The good news is one of them will be productive this week. The bad news is there's little telling who it will be. ... Dallas' defense was vulnerable to tailback screens and swings last Monday night, as Tim Hightower and Roy Helu combined for 56 yards and a TD on seven Week 3 receptions. Dallas gave up 80 yards on seven grabs to Jets backs in Week 1, so this has become a trend. Through three games, Best ranks in the top five in receptions and receiving yards among running backs. Expect another strong PPR effort. ... Young is playing a respectable 61.6% of the Lions' offensive snaps with 15 targets in the last two games. He's a WR4 in fantasy, but will be worth WR3 consideration when bye weeks set in.

No tight end in the league has been targeted as frequently as Jason Witten so far, and he’ll keep it up until Miles Austin (hamstring) returns in Week 6. There is also growing concern in Dallas about Dez Bryant after his lingering quadriceps strain "stiffened up" when Bryant awoke Thursday morning. Witten is a very good bet to lead the Cowboys in receiving. ... Bryant appears to be a game-time decision for Week 4. At least we'll know his status early because this is a 1ET game. Fantasy owners did not have that luxury in Week 3, with the Cowboys hosting the Redskins on Monday Night Football. ... Confidently avoid Laurent Robinson, Kevin Ogletree, and Jesse Holley regardless of Bryant's availability. Robinson doesn't know the playbook after signing with Dallas just over a week ago. Ogletree should know where to line up because he's been a Cowboy since 2009, but didn't against Washington, alligator-armed a would-be touchdown catch, and also lost a fumble. Ogletree is a terrible player. Holley didn't have a Week 3 reception.

Dallas finally got its run game on track against the Skins, as Felix Jones ripped off second-half gains of 27, 29, and 40 yards. Tashard Choice has been Ogletree-bad and DeMarco Murray is averaging 2.70 YPC, so neither backup is pushing for more work. With Jones finally playing well, having avoided a setback with his shoulder, and the receiver corps all kinds of banged up, a season high in touches may be in store for Dallas' explosive feature back. One of the Lions' stoutest defenders, SLB Justin Durant, will not play due to a concussion. Jones could catch fire in the next month. His next four games come against the Lions (30th in yards-per-carry allowed), Patriots (20th), Rams (31st), and Eagles (29th). Hope that shoulder holds up. ... Owners with an elite backup quarterback can consider sitting Tony Romo in what may be a run-heavy attack on Dallas' side. The tiebreaker should be whether Bryant is active for the game, but it's worth keeping in mind that the Lions rank fourth against the pass and have allowed only two passing scores.

Score Prediction: Lions 24, Cowboys 17

Pittsburgh @ Houston

Losing O-Linemen left and right and getting poor per-play production from Rashard Mendenhall (3.02 season YPC), the Steelers quickly abandoned the run in Week 3, allowing Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to take over the game for long stretches. It nearly cost Pittsburgh the win, but is OC Bruce Arians really to blame? The Steelers have no front-five cohesiveness due to weekly injuries, and Mendenhall was never an overly elusive back, needing holes to gain yards. Houston is mediocre against the run (No. 17 rank, 4.80 yards per carry allowed), but Indy was supposed to present an even easier matchup. It's hard to recommend buying low on Mendenhall when he's in a bad situation and the coaching staff won't stick with him. Ben Roethlisberger ended up with more than double the pass attempts Mendenhall had carries, as Arians resorted to a spread offense. All fantasy owners can really do is hope it gets better. ... Antonio Brown seems to have moved ahead of Emmanuel Sanders with at least 67 receiving yards in back-to-back games. Sanders has yet to top 44 on the year. According to Pro Football Focus, Brown has played 111 snaps through three games. Sanders has 90. They're both in need of injuries to truly matter.

At 35 after countless surgeries, Hines Ward has clearly lost steam. In his last nine games, Ward is averaging under four catches for 39 yards yet still playing 86.5% of the snaps. The Steelers will need to increase Sanders and/or Brown's involvement at some point, because Ward is holding the passing game hostage. He can't get open, and isn't worth a fantasy roster spot. ... On the flip side, Mike Wallace has at least 102 receiving yards in six consecutive regular season games, with touchdowns in four of them. Dating back to November of 2010 (a 12-game stretch), Wallace is averaging 107.1 total yards per game. "60 Minutes" is currently the No. 3 overall fantasy receiver. Wallace plays on both sides of the field, so he should avoid top Texans CB Johnathan Joseph for plenty of Week 4 downs. ... With his O-Line struggling mightily and Ward failing to get free, Big Ben is 23rd among quarterbacks in fantasy scoring. Houston's defense presents far from a pushover matchup, so Roethlisberger owners can feel comfortable sitting him until he picks it up.

While the Steelers' defense has appeared vulnerable to rushing attacks early this season (No. 12 rank, 4.58 YPC allowed), this is a wait-and-see week for Texans backs. Arian Foster swears up and down that he's over his hamstring injury, but said similar things leading up to Week 2. He'd go on to last just two quarters, averaging 3.3 yards on 10 carries and lacking his usual acceleration. The Texans had to shut Foster down at halftime. Foster has suffered two too many setbacks for confident fantasy usage and is much more high-risk RB2/flex than RB1 this week. Coach Gary Kubiak confirmed Wednesday that Foster will be on a play count. ... Ben Tate remains fantasy football's most valuable handcuff, but the Texans only plan to give him 8-12 touches. He's no longer a worthwhile flex option. ... While Pittsburgh's defense has scuffled against run games, it ranks first against the pass, allowing a league-low 5.02 yards per passing play. In a tough matchup with relatively low projected scoring (45-point over/under), Schaub is back to QB2 status.

Update: Kubiak changed his mind on Friday, after Foster turned in his third straight full practice of the week. Foster is going to get the rock early and often against Pittsburgh. "He looks good," said the Texans' head coach. "We're going to put him back to work full-time and see how he holds up." Foster practiced well enough to convince both the Texans' medical and coaching staffs to give him 25 (roughly) touches against the Steelers. He's a more confident fantasy play now.

Pittsburgh has allowed the fewest 20-yard completions in the league, so look for the Texans to attack over the middle with Andre Johnson, keeping him away from RCB Ike Taylor's side. In Johnson's last meeting with the Steelers, he rang up 10 catches for 112 yards ... Beware Owen Daniels reverting to a block-first role ala Dallas Clark against Pittsburgh last Sunday night. Daniels remains a viable low-end TE1, but the Steelers don't offer nearly as favorable a tight end matchup as Daniels experienced at New Orleans. ... James Casey enjoyed a career game in Week 3, lining up at H-back, tailback, tight end, slot receiver, and out wide en route to a 137-total yard day. While Casey has the athleticism, versatility, and sure hands to be a fantasy asset, owners need to approach this situation with caution. Casey has never been used like that before, and Kubiak conceded afterwards that the Texans specifically game planned for Casey's role to expand with Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones, and two running backs banged up. Only time can tell whether Casey's use as a legitimate yardage threat will last. His previous career high was 48 yards.

Score Prediction: Steelers 20, Texans 19

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

Medically cleared from his hand injury and exceptionally motivated to prove his doubters wrong -- Michael Vick gave himself a "100 percent chance" to play while vowing "to play the whole game regardless, they will have to cart me off the field" -- there isn't a better Week 4 quarterback start than Philadelphia's so-far scuffling passer. While the 49ers rank 16th in pass defense on paper, they've faced Cincinnati and Seattle, and in between were lit up by Tony Romo for 345 yards and two touchdowns with Romo missing 20 snaps due to a punctured lung. There is a very good chance that this is the week Vick will explode. ... DeSean Jackson is averaging only 52 yards per game because defenses are keeping their safeties deep in order to halt the Eagles' deep threat. But the Niners don't keep their strong safety deep, instead using Donte Whitner "in the box" as a fifth linebacker. Jackson is going to go off in short order, and you don't want to be late to that dance. He's also likely to see more targets because Jeremy Maclin (hamstring) may not be 100 percent.

Maclin is listed as probable for the game after practicing on Thursday and Friday. While the possibility of an in-game aggravation is real, he should be in fantasy lineups as a WR2. With Jackson drawing the deep coverage, Maclin has racked up 19 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns on the season, ranking 12th among receivers in fantasy points. ... LeSean McCoy continues to make a case for top-five NFL running back consideration. Possessing perhaps the best combination of versatility and explosiveness east of Oakland, Shady is averaging 131.3 total yards per game and is second to only Darren McFadden in fantasy running back scoring. Don't even worry about San Francisco's run defense ranking, because McCoy will juke through and run around it. ... It's the same old story for Brent Celek this year. He's dropped two of his 12 targets on the season, and according to Pro Football Focus has blocked on 62.3% of his snaps. Move along.

The 49ers' putrid passing attack is in for another long day at Philly. Ranked second in sacks and eighth in passing yards allowed, the combination of Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel, and Alex Smith will likely take Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan out of the game. ... Tony Gonzalez found enough seams in Philly's defense to drop seven catches, 83 yards, and two TDs on it in Week 2. The Iggles figure to pay more attention to Vernon Davis, but 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is making sure Davis is Smith's first read on every passing play. The Niners will employ an offense that runs the football to set up Davis. He's led the Niners in targets, catches, and yards in 2-of-3 games. ... Multiple reports indicate that Frank Gore's ankle injury will limit his role on Sunday, and Gore has independently said he doesn't even know if he'll be active. Gore needs to be on fantasy benches. He's banged up, has been thoroughly ineffective (2.51 YPC), and could conceivably do more pass blocking while Kendall Hunter leads the 49ers' backfield in rushes and receptions. ... Hunter led the league in preseason rushing. The Ray Rice clone offers big-play ability and versatility in spades, and would be worth an RB2/flex start should Gore appear on the Sunday inactives list. The Eagles have no continuity at linebacker and rank 30th against the run, yielding 4.93 YPC.

Score Prediction: Eagles 30, 49ers 13

Minnesota @ Kansas City

Vikings DT Kevin Williams' Week 3 return from suspension had its expected effect, rendering the Lions' offense one-dimensional. Minnesota held Detroit rushers to 20 yards on 19 attempts (1.05 YPC) with a long run of five yards. The Lions' ground game is no juggernaut, of course, but nor is Kansas City's. Dead-legged 33-year-old Thomas Jones was predictably ineffective in his first crack at the Chiefs' lead back job, gaining 33 scoreless yards on 15 touches (2.2 average) against a San Diego defense reeling with injuries. Dexter McCluster, in fact, wound up playing six more snaps than Jones and was at least somewhat productive with 62 yards on 14 touches (4.43). The Chiefs will presumably keep the veteran involved simply because they don't believe McCluster can hold up on full workloads, but you don't want Jones anywhere near your fantasy team, let alone in the starting lineup. McCluster is the only valuable back in Kansas City, and he's just a PPR option.

Dwayne Bowe is lucky to have a 100-yard game and a touchdown to his credit three weeks into the season, because the setup around him is devastating for fantasy production. Expect him to begin being taken out of games shortly. Bowe is a double- and triple-team magnet as the lone dangerous player in his offense. His quarterback is an inaccurate passer with awful pocket presence, lacking a running game as protection. Bowe has enough early-year production and big-name value to command something worthwhile in a trade. If Bowe comes up with another solid game, move him quickly. ... Steve Breaston is averaging two catches for 29.3 yards without a touchdown through three games. The Chiefs should have signed a more physical, run-after-catch receiver in the offseason -- someone capable of turning a short Matt Cassel pass into a long gain.

Things are looking up for Percy Harvin, who played all but 13 of the Week 3 snaps (74.5%) after the Vikings' staff pathetically used him 50.9% of the time in the first two games. With Chiefs top CB Brandon Flowers (ankle) hobbled, Harvin needs to be in fantasy lineups after a slow start. He's playing more, looks to have a terrific matchup, and has 14 touches to go with 13 targets in the past two weeks. ... Molasses Michael Jenkins caught a bunch of short passes last Sunday and didn't get very far. Jenkins has no hint of big-play ability. He's yet to exceed 10 yards per reception in a week as a Viking, and has four touchdowns in his last 39 games. ... Out-awfulling even pal Chad Ochocinco, Bernard Berrian is a sorry excuse for an NFL receiver. He has one catch on ten targets this year. Since the beginning of the 2010 season, Berrian and Jenkins have 917 yards, a 10.79 YPR average, and three TDs between them. In 27 combined games played. Donovan McNabb has no chance. ... Adrian Peterson has somehow overcome an easy-to-defend offense and bottom-five O-Line to rank sixth among fantasy backs. He should destroy the Chiefs.

Score Prediction: Vikings 20, Chiefs 10

Washington @ St. Louis

An oft-hurried Rex Grossman went back in the tank at Dallas in Week 3, committing two back-breaking turnovers and forcing throws that weren't there. Rexy can't be counted on to perform reliably, but St. Louis' defense has been a remedy for struggling passers so far. After a rough opener (no TDs, one INT, 56.2% completions), Eli Manning touched up the Rams for 63.3% completions and two touchdowns in Week 2. In Week 3, Joe Flacco rebounded from two picks and 46.9% completions at Tennessee to torch St. Louis for 389 yards, three scores, and no INTs. With Grossman, you have to be wary of an extended period of terrible performance. But on paper, he has the look of a quality matchup play, particularly in two-QB leagues. ... In Week 3 last year, Santana Moss lit up a similar-looking Rams secondary for 124 yards and a touchdown on six catches. Through three games, Moss leads the Skins in targets and receptions. It's a formula for every-week WR3 value at the very least in an offense that ranks in the top-eight in pass attempts.

It's a scary proposition for Rams fans that their team entered Week 3 ranked dead last against the run, yet the Ravens attacked with the pass, jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead, and proceeded to keep on throwing. LCB Justin King got ransacked for over 150 yards and two scores, and will square off with Jabar Gaffney for the majority of Week 4. Gaffney rarely gets recommended in this space because he lacks explosiveness, but this might be his most favorable matchup all season. He's worth WR3 consideration. ... The Cowboys took Fred Davis out of last Monday night's game with constant double teams, allowing a far slower Chris Cooley to out-produce Washington's best tight end. Davis owners need to stick with him against an awful St. Louis pass defense. ... Roy Helu is a good-looking prospect, but he's either going to need a Tim Hightower injury or blowout Redskins wins to accumulate more carries. In a tight game against the Cowboys, Helu received just seven touches. Hightower had 19 touches, plays in all red-zone packages, and qualifies as a strong RB2. St. Louis still ranks 32nd against the run, and is permitting an NFC-high 5.45 YPC.

Sam Bradford isn't playing as badly as the Rams' record indicates, or as his fantasy stats suggest. He's getting zero help from his teammates. Only the Seahawks, Bears, and Falcons rank lower in the NFL's cumulative O-Line rankings, and wideouts Mike Sims-Walker and Brandon Gibson can't separate outside. The Rams benched RT Jason Smith for washed-up veteran Adam Goldberg in Week 3. Bradford also can't buy a break with his matchups (Ravens, Eagles, Giants), and gets another tough one in Week 4 against a Redskins defense that has surrendered an NFC-low two touchdown passes in three games. Aggressive DC Jim Haslett's unit is susceptible to deep and intermediate strikes, but the Rams have gotten nothing going to those areas of the field. Sit Sam, MSW, and Gibson. ... Danario Alexander did get a snap bump from 23.2% in Week 2 to 53.7% in Week 3, but finished with 28 yards on two targets. He slipped on a route that led to a pick, and dropped another pass. The Rams already limit Alexander's role because they don't trust his five-times surgically repaired knee, so it really hurts when they can't trust his performance, either.

Steven Jackson is due back from his quadriceps injury after playing a limited role against the Ravens that likely resulted from Baltimore's huge early lead. The tentative but logical expectation is that S-Jax will resume his 18-22 touch-per-game role against the Skins with Cadillac Williams (hamstring) not 100 percent. Washington's defense officially ranks 11th against the run, but is surrendering 4.80 yards per carry. The Redskins can be run on, as evidenced by Felix Jones' best came of the season in Week 3 (8.21 YPC, 155 total yards). It's quite possible that the Rams will lean heavily on Jackson with the passing game struggling. I'd want him in my fantasy lineup.

Score Prediction: Rams 24, Redskins 20

Buffalo @ Cincinnati

Fred Jackson is playing like he wants more money. Pro Football Focus ranks him first in the NFL in Elusive Rating, a combo statistic factoring in broken and eluded tackles as well as yards after contact. Jackson's "elusiveness" comes in handy behind a Bills line short on talent. F-Jax has 55 touches, and 26 have gone for five or more yards. He has 14 double-digit gains, compared to just three negative plays. F-Jax is averaging 6.45 yards a carry and has yet to fumble. The Bengals' run defense isn't a pushover (league-low 2.90 YPC allowed), but Jackson needs to be started until he cools off. ... David Nelson "only" caught six passes for 84 yards in Week 3 -- all in the first half -- but he affected Buffalo's thrilling upset of New England throughout. With five targets on Ryan Fitzpatrick's first 11 drop backs, Nelson attracted heavy defensive attention early in the game. He had two catches for 19 yards wiped out by penalty, and drew a 31-yard pass interference that got the Bills down to the one-yard line. Jackson plunged into the end zone on the next play. Nelson quietly ranks 14th in the NFL in targets despite not becoming a full-time player until the second quarter of Week 2. He's playing 85% of the snaps since Roscoe Parrish's year-ending injury.

No NFL team is getting gashed by long bombs quite like New England, so the Bills were smart to involve deep threat Donald Jones more with 103 yards in Week 3. Jones just isn't a good bet for consistency as the No. 2 outside receiver (Stevie Johnson is No. 1) in an offense quarterbacked by one of the league's weakest-armed passers. Whereas the Pats have given up 23 completions of 20-plus yards, the Bengals have allowed seven. Cincinnati ranks fifth against the pass, holding opponents under six yards per pass attempt. Start Johnson for sure, but it would be prudent to make Jones prove himself before chasing last week's points. ... Scott Chandler keeps racking up touchdowns, but he's 22nd in targets among tight ends and under 90 receiving yards on the year. He's playing only 47.4% of the snaps. Chandler will continue to struggle for catches and yards. ... Ryan Fitzpatrick is currently the No. 5 overall fantasy QB, behind only Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, and Aaron Rodgers. Like Fred Jackson, Fitz should be started while he's hot.

Andy Dalton is who we thought he was. Actually, he might be worse. After putting 332 yards and two TDs on a Broncos team that sold out to stop Cedric Benson in Week 2, Dalton did a 180 against a more cognizant 49ers defense. Dalton didn't connect on a Week 3 pass that traveled further than eight yards in the air, averaged under five yards per attempt, and threw two picks with no scores despite a clean pocket. It's tank games like this from a rookie quarterback that make A.J. Green, Jermaine Gresham, and Jerome Simpson very dicey week-to-week bets. Buffalo ranks 24th against the pass, but San Francisco supposedly didn't have a prohibitive pass defense, either. ... Benson will continue to start while his suspension remains in the appeals process. He's averaging 3.59 yards per carry if you throw out a wide-open Week 1 touchdown sprint, but the Bills' defense is 24th against the run and permitting 4.69 yards per rushing attempt. It's a favorable matchup, even if Benson's mediocre talent leaves him without much upside.

Score Prediction: Bills 20, Bengals 16

Tennessee @ Cleveland

Considering this game's weak 39-point over-under with Cleveland as a one-point favorite, it's clear the oddsmakers believe Kenny Britt's year-ending knee injury was a crippling blow to Tennessee. The good news for the Titans is that Matt Hasselbeck is playing and his line protecting well enough to maintain some semblance of a passing game. Nate Washington projects as the immediate beneficiary, but owners had better hope he doesn't get stuck in Browns CB Joe Haden's shadow coverage. Haden tracked Brandon Marshall all over the field in Week 3, limiting Miami's No. 1 receiver to 43 scoreless yards after all but erasing A.J. Green in Week 1 and Pierre Garcon in Week 2. Marshall is far better than Washington, so logic says Tennessee's top wideout will be even less productive if Haden gets a similar assignment. ... Fantasy leaguers looking for a sleeper Titans receiver behind Washington are likely to be disappointed. Lavelle Hawkins and Damian Williams, both lacking difference-making talent, have rotated in the third receiver role to this point. Williams is expected to be the new starter and is the more worthwhile WR5 pickup.

The Titans have discussed using Jared Cook as a slot and/or outside receiver in three-wide sets. Perhaps Britt's injury is the catalyst for what should be Cook's breakout season. We'll just have to wait and see, because Cook thus far has seven targets, ranking fifth on the team. ... The Browns are currently 29th against the run, though their 3.98 YPC average allowed suggests the ranking is significantly skewed by the fact that opponents continually try to run on them. (Only the Colts and Chiefs have more carries against.) Regardless of stats, the Titans are desperate to kick start the run game post-Britt. Without an effective Chris Johnson, Tennessee lacks an explosive element on offense. The real head-scratcher is that the Titans' O-Line pass protects as well as any unit in football, but run blocks worse than everyone. During the summer, new coordinator Chris Palmer often spoke of getting Johnson more in-space opportunities on screens and pitches. It just hasn't happened yet. Whatever the approach, the Titans need Johnson to resume playing well soon. Or else CJ2K's fantasy owners won't be the only ones racking up losses.

Peyton Hillis' Week 3 bout with strep throat threatens to take a big chunk out of his production. In addition to watching as Montario Hardesty earned a bigger future role with a strong effort (4.79 YPC, 19 receiving yards) against the Fins, a running back whose strength is power runs lost over ten pounds during his time off. "My weight wasn’t there," Hillis conceded this week. “My energy wasn’t there." Hillis didn't exactly set the world on fire pre-sickness, either, averaging 3.21 yards per carry in his last five games (3.43 in Weeks 1-2). Hillis and Hardesty can both pick up the blitz, catch passes, and run hard on early downs. Hillis has done nothing recently that suggests he's a significantly better option than Hardesty showed in Week 3. With coach Pat Shurmur also saying he intends to lessen the starter's load, Hillis' borderline RB1 status is evaporating. This week, he'll take on a Tennessee defense that ranks eighth against the run and is permitting 3.07 YPC -- the fourth stingiest average in the league. Perhaps a goal-line carry or two will save Hillis' fantasy day.

Tennessee's shutdown pass defense stymied a third straight opponent last week, holding Kyle Orton under 180 yards and intercepting him twice. Now ranked No. 2 against the pass, the Titans travel to face an embattled Colt McCoy. McCoy did lead a game-winning drive against Miami in Week 3, but prior to the last possession completed 10-of-26 passes for 135 yards with one score and a pick. McCoy has seemingly gotten worse every week, and this is the toughest matchup he's seen to date. ... Cleveland's rotational pass catchers continue to frustrate in fantasy leagues. No member has topped 77 yards in a game (Mohamed Massaquoi in Week 1) or five catches (Ben Watson in Week 3). Greg Little's best effort was good for 38 yards on four receptions in Week 2. Owners are better off avoiding the situation until a player or two emerges. And they may not.

Score Prediction: Browns 17, Titans 16

New Orleans @ Jacksonville

The Jags' pass defense personnel looks putrid on paper, but they've executed DC Mel Tucker's zone scheme nicely so far. After putting the brakes on Carolina's red-hot vertical passing game in Week 3, Jacksonville ranks seventh against the pass and is stymieing big plays, having allowed an NFL-low six completions of 20-plus yards. Cam Newton's reality check occurred without top Jags DE Matt Roth (neck), who was a terror in Weeks 1-2 and figures to return. Look for Drew Brees to attack Tucker's Cover 2 with short throws to Lance Moore, Jimmy Graham, and sudden PPR must-start Darren Sproles. I'd have a hard time using Devery Henderson based on what we know about the Jags' scheme and its success. The defense is designed to stop deep threats. ... Graham is the No. 4-ranked fantasy tight end, behind Rob Gronkowski, Jermichael Finley, and Dustin Keller. Put him in your lineup every week. ... Further removed from his groin injury, Moore experienced a snap rate leap from 34.7% in Week 2 to 56.9% in Week 3, capitalizing for nine catches, 88 yards, and a TD. Moore is a legit WR2 until Marques Colston comes all the way back.

Updated Saints red-zone touches: Mark Ingram 13, Sproles 6, Pierre Thomas 2. ... Ingram broke four tackles on his 13-yard, game-winning touchdown against the Texans. That run alone could very well earn him more carries going forward. Ingram did lead New Orleans' backfield in Week 3 touches. He has 38 of them on the season, with 34.2% coming inside the opposing 20-yard line. ... As well as the Jaguars' defense is playing, they haven't faced a quarterback anywhere near on par with Brees. On fire and in a contract year, Brees is the No. 2 fantasy quarterback through three games. ... Robert Meachem has overtaken Henderson and is officially a full-time player this year. He was seeing over 80% of the offensive snaps with Colston in the lineup, and is at 86.8% on the season. With touchdowns in each of his first three games, Meachem is a viable WR3 regardless of matchup. Thus far, only Sproles and Graham have more targets on the Saints.

I'm devoting a third paragraph to the Saints because I'm skeptical of Sean Payton's Wednesday claim that Colston will play. Speaking to Jacksonville (not New Orleans) media, the Saints' coach said, "Yeah, (Colston) was listed as limited, but he's cleared. He'll be up this week." The terms "cleared" and "up" could have a variety of meanings, ranging from Colston's clearance to resume practicing, to his return to full-time receiver duties. The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. While it's clear his broken collarbone wasn't as severe as Tony Romo's last season, on Sunday Colston will be just 22 days removed from surgery that involved insertion of a plate to protect the fracture. The Saints' projected return has all along been Week 6, and it's hard to imagine Colston is two full weeks ahead of schedule. If Colston does play against the Jaguars, I'd expect a limited role. Perhaps similar to Lance Moore's in Week 2, when Moore played 32.8% of the snaps and saw four targets. For this week at least, it's in fantasy owners' best interests to consider Colston a non-factor, both independently and as a "threat" to "steal" targets from other Saints. When players are coming off serious injuries, you usually want to sit them in their first game back, anyway.

In his Week 3 starting debut, Blaine Gabbert struggled en route to a 12-of-21 (57.1%) passing day, managing 139 yards (6.62 YPA), one touchdown, an interception, and four fumbled snaps. Running back checkdowns accounted for 46% of Gabbert's yardage, and his touchdown came on a fluky late-second quarter play that saw numerous Panthers defenders slip on a sloggy surface as Mike Thomas danced into the end zone. Gabbert has plenty of talent, but the Jags won't field a dangerous offense anytime soon. ... As expected, Marcedes Lewis stayed on the line to block on the vast majority of his Week 3 plays, seeing two targets. He'll do the same against Saints DC Gregg Williams' blitz-happy defense. ... Thomas is the Jaguars' No. 1 receiver, but is playing with a rookie QB in a decidedly run-first attack. He's also likely to square off with LCB Jabari Greer in a matchup that favors the Saints' top corner. Thomas is dicey, even as a WR4. ... Maurice Jones-Drew experienced season highs in touches (27) and snap rate (82.5%) in Gabbert's debut. Deji Karim is gradually disappearing from the offense. MJD is the only start-able Jaguar in Week 4.

Score Prediction: Saints 27, Jaguars 10

Carolina @ Chicago

We've touted Jonathan Stewart as the best pure runner in Carolina for three years, and it's now showing up in the numbers. DeAngelo Williams' yards-per-carry average in his last ten games is 3.62, while Stewart's is 4.98 on similar sample sizes. The differential is even more pronounced in yards per touch, with J-Stew averaging 5.49 yards to D-Will's 3.92. The Panthers may refuse to admit their $43 million mistake on Williams for awhile, but Stewart's fantasy owners need to hang tight. Much improved in the passing game this year, Stewart will explode if Williams suffers an injury or gets Pipped out of the offense. Unfortunately, neither Panthers runner is more than a flex option until one of them cracks the top-30 fantasy backs. Stewart is currently No. 31; Williams 54. The Bears stuff the run at home. ... While Jeremy Shockey took a backseat, Greg Olsen made a promising leap forward with seven receptions, 57 yards, and a touchdown against a Cover 2-heavy Jaguars defense in Week 3. Chicago also plays Cover 2 and has already surrendered 19 catches for 237 yards and three touchdowns to tight ends through three games. Jermichael Finley accounted for all three scores last Sunday, and Olsen is the closest Carolina can come as an athletic zone-buster who plays all over the field. Consider Olsen a reasonable TE1 play this week.

The Jags brought Cam Newton back to earth in Week 3 with a 52.9 completion rate (18-of-34) for 158 yards (4.65 YPA), one touchdown, and 27 yards on seven scrambles. The Panthers' vertical offense relies on deep shots to capitalize on Newton's cannon arm, but the scheme and its rookie quarterback's skill set match up awkwardly with a Bears defense built to limit big plays. Chicago has allowed just eight 20-plus yard completions through three games. (The league low is six.) Coming off a rough game, facing a tough matchup, and on the road, Newton is more of a high-end QB2 this week. ... Like Newton, Steve Smith is coming off a poor fantasy game (15 yards). More so than Newton, Smith's performance was severely affected by a puddle-ridden field at Bank of America Stadium. There is no evidence to suggest the Panthers will have rushing success at Chicago, and Smitty is a ball hog in the Carolina pass game with 31 targets, 11 ahead of Olsen's second-place 20. The Panthers will have to throw to move the ball. In Smith's last two meetings with Lovie Smith's Cover 2, he totaled an eye-opening 26 catches for 387 yards, and two TDs. And the Bears had a better defense then (2005).

The Chicago Sun Times had a telling stat in its Thursday editions: The Bears lead the NFL in three-and-outs, punting the ball after three plays 41% of the time. Chicago refuses to run the ball, gets stuck in third-and-longs, and its inability to pass protect kills drives. The only teams with worse time-of-possession rates are the Seahawks, Chiefs, and Colts. ... Jay Cutler is 40-of-82 (48.4%) with three TDs and three turnovers in his last two games. He's a QB2 option in Week 4 only because Carolina allows league highs in yards per pass play (9.23) and passer rating (110.8), while registering a measly five sacks in three games. ... Avoid Bears pass catchers altogether. Johnny Knox leads the corps with 189 receiving yards, but the coaches' insistence on playing Roy Williams over him makes Knox a weak option. ... Dane Sanzenbacher isn't a viable fantasy starter yet, but could be if he formally overtakes Earl Bennett (chest). Sanzenbacher plays the slot -- an oft-valuable position in Mike Martz's offenses -- and finished Week 3 with seven targets, five catches, and a touchdown, playing 70.7% of the snaps. ... Matt Forte is the lone must-start Bear. He's averaging over 135 all-purpose yards per game, and the Panthers rank 25th against the run.

Score Prediction: Bears 24, Panthers 20

4:05PM ET GamesAtlanta @ Seattle

A sloppy field after heavy pre-game rain affected the Falcons' Week 3 scoring at Tampa Bay, but Atlanta got its passing game on track. The Bucs tried slowing down Julio Jones with top CB Aqib Talib's shadow coverage and safety help over the top of Roddy White. Instead, Jones and White combined for 15 grabs and 255 yards on a whopping 24 targets. Tony Gonzalez took a backseat, managing just 18 yards on two catches (he did score a red-zone touchdown). Regardless, this is how Atlanta wants to continue attacking opponents, with perimeter shots in the intermediate and deep passing games. ... Seahawks RCB Brandon Browner continues to get dismantled, according to Pro Football Focus allowing 16 of his 19 targeted passes to be complete for 263 yards and two touchdowns on the season. Opposing passers have posted a near-perfect 153.8 QB rating on throws to Browner's side. Jones and Roddy White move around plenty, but it is usually Julio facing right cornerbacks. After a breakthrough game, Jones is an excellent WR3 in this matchup.

White ranks second in the NFL in targets and can never be benched. The touchdowns will come. ... Seattle shut down yet another running game in Week 3 and is holding opponents to a 3.15 YPC average through three weeks. The Falcons should control time of possession against a Seahawks offense that won't move the ball, leading to plenty of carries for Michael Turner. But expectations should be kept within reason. The Seahawks' run defense is about as legit as it gets. ... Matt Ryan disappointingly ranks 18th in fantasy scoring among quarterbacks, but he does have two 300-plus yard games and five touchdown passes in his last two. He's been an assassin in the no-huddle offense and will find a groove soon. Ryan should pick apart Browner on Sunday. ... The Seahawks haven't allowed a tight end to find the end zone thus far, holding the position to a 4.3-reception, 44.3-yard weekly average. Consider Gonzalez more of a low-end TE1 despite his fast start.

Box-score fantasy leaguers may consider Sidney Rice a tried-and-true WR2 after his 109-yard return in Week 3. Just keep in mind the opponent. Cardinals CBs Patrick Peterson and A.J. Jefferson are getting annihilated in coverage on a weekly basis, and Rice won't have nearly as much room to operate against Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson. Separation has never been Rice's strength. ... Neither Zach Miller nor Big Mike Williams has exceeded 34 yards in a game yet, nor has either found the end zone. Combined, they're averaging 8.4 yards per catch. Move along. ... Marshawn Lynch couldn't break four yards a carry against Arizona. It will be uninteresting to see how poorly he fares against a considerably better Falcons run defense.

Score Prediction: Falcons 27, Seahawks 13

NY Giants @ Arizona

It's been discussed here before and is especially relevant coming off back-to-back Giants wins: New York's offense operates far more effectively when it uses the run to set up deep aerial shots. Eagles-Giants watchers saw this at its finest. Finishing with more runs than passes for a second straight week, the G-Men got a robust 4.77 combined YPC average from Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, while Eli Manning connected with Victor Cruz for two long touchdowns (74, 28 yards) and Jacobs (40 yards) for a third. The screen game also clicked, with Bradshaw at the forefront. The Cardinals rank 27th against the run and just allowed one of Marshawn Lynch's best games as a Seahawk. This is a perfect opportunity to execute another run-to-bomb game plan, because Arizona is susceptible to downfield passes. There isn't a more stiff-hipped secondary in the NFL. ... Look for Hakeem Nicks to bust out of his funk in a matchup ripe for the picking. Per Pro Football Focus, Cards CBs Patrick Peterson and A.J. Jefferson have been targeted 39 times through three games. They've given up 29 catches (74.4% completions) for 344 yards (8.82 YPA).

Mario Manningham has been cleared from his concussion. Fantasy owners need to shrug off his slow start and use him on Sunday. Arizona has served up the third most 20-plus yard completions in football, and Manningham's deep speed will give LCB Jefferson lots of problems. ... Eli Manning appears to have his season on track with six touchdown passes and a 66.0 completion rate over his last two games. Eli is a recommended QB1 because he's playing well and has a favorable matchup. ... Bradshaw now has 54 touches on the year, good for an 18-per-game average. He's the No. 13 overall fantasy back. Jacobs is averaging 11 touches a game and ranks a respectable 25th. The playing time shift appears to be favoring Bradshaw similar to how it did last season. Bradshaw is a top-end RB2. Jacobs is worth every-week flex consideration in non-PPR leagues.

Defenses are doing their best to contain Larry Fitzgerald, but he's killing them deep. It's early of course, but Fitz's 17.3 yards-per-catch average is a career high, and he's averaging over 86 yards per game. He'll see a quite a bit of Giants RCB Aaron Ross in this one. ... Neither Early Doucet nor Andre Roberts has topped 50 yards or scored a touchdown aside from Doucet's fluky Week 1. Avoid. ... Beanie Wells (hamstring) is expected back this week, but his return does more to help Fitzgerald than make Wells a good fantasy play. The Giants must now fear Arizona's run threat. Most likely, however, Beanie won't have much success. New York is permitting just 3.65 YPC and will be fresher up front with RE Osi Umenyiora (knee) returning. They can again boast the best three-way end rotation in the game. Osi is also an underrated run defender. ... Kevin Kolb looked lost without Fitzgerald catching a pass in the second half last week. Kolb is a mediocre 16th in fantasy scoring among quarterbacks and will be under heavy duress Sunday. He's just a QB2.

Score Prediction: Giants 23, Cardinals 14

4:15PM ET GamesDenver @ Green Bay

The anticipated returns of CB Champ Bailey (hamstring), RE Elvis Dumervil (shoulder), and WLB D.J. Williams (elbow) should make Denver a bit more competitive, but not enough to slow Aaron Rodgers' roll. Rodgers holds a 14:1 TD-to-INT ratio in his last five home games and is fresh off dismantling a better Chicago defense for 292 yards and three scores. ... While Greg Jennings figures to see the most of Bailey, Jermichael Finley and Jordy Nelson should be in store for productive games. Finley's three-touchdown destruction of the Bears catapulted him to second among fantasy tight ends, behind only Rob Gronkowski. ... The No. 17 fantasy receiver, Nelson should draw 33-year-old Andre' Goodman in man coverage. Nelson played a season-high 46 snaps in Week 3. ... Speaking of playing time, Donald Driver's continues to dwindle in favor of Randall Cobb. There were stretches during last week's win where Cobb played exclusively as the Packers' slot receiver. Driver didn't even catch a pass. Cobb caught his lone target for 14 yards.

The Rotoworld news page will have Ryan Grant updates into Sunday morning, but as this is being written he's unlikely to play. On Wednesday, coach Mike McCarthy conceded Grant must pass NFL protocol testing to be cleared from his bruised kidney. The fact that Grant hasn't practiced suggests he's yet to pass those tests and receive that clearance. James Starks is going to start against the Broncos. While last week's 11-carry, 5-yard with a fumble performance would seem indicative of a big step back -- particularly for a rotation player "competing" for weekly carries -- OC Joe Philbin chalked it up more to bad luck: "Some of the plays James was in there, we didn’t block quite as well. He didn’t have as many clean looks as Ryan had." Added RBs coach Jerry Fontenot, "Other than (the fumble), it was just luck of the draw. It seemed that the plays (Starks) got to carry the ball, we didn’t have our best overall (blocking) performance.” In a game where Green Bay should jump out in front and dominate time of possession, Starks will be a virtual must-start as long as Grant's chances of playing continue to appear remote. Starks will rack up carries.

Update: The Packers have ruled out Grant. Starks will start against Denver.

Willis McGahee has no juice left, and it shows up in his 2.89 yards per carry average. He has 63 touches on the year, and 40 (63.5%) have gained three yards or less. McGahee has five double-digit gains with a long of 12. He has 11 plays of negative or no gain. With Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) returning and slated to see snaps, the Broncos' backfield should be hands-off in fantasy. Particularly in a game that they project to fall behind early. Green Bay ranks first in the NFL versus the run. ... Brandon Lloyd is the lone must-start Denver player this week. The Packers have flashed vulnerability deep downfield, surrendering an NFC-most 19 completions of 20-plus yards. Lloyd is the Broncos' vertical wideout. ... Eric Decker is the complement to Lloyd as a possession receiver, and led the team with 12 targets in Week 3. (Lloyd only had seven.) Decker is a viable WR3 in PPR. The Broncos will be forced into passing mode if the Packers capture an early lead, which they should. ... Kyle Orton hasn't hit 200 passing yards since the opener, when he threw the ball a season-high 46 times. He's only 21st in fantasy scoring among quarterbacks.

Score Prediction: Packers 34, Broncos 17

New England @ Oakland

Patriots-Raiders has Week 4's highest over-under by a nine-point margin (55, next is 46), so start all your studs in this one. ... Wes Welker is obliterating opponents in the slot. He leads the NFL in targets -- by nine -- and is the No. 1-ranked fantasy receiver in both standard and PPR leagues. Oakland's defense has given up 22 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns to slot receivers, and slot corner Michael Huff is coming off a concussion. (Huff moves from safety in the nickel.) Expect Welker's hot streak to continue. ... Box-score fantasy leaguers may worry about Tom Brady's four-pick Week 3, but two interceptions were tipped (the Bills were lucky opportunistic), a third dropped by Danny Woodhead, and a fourth came on a Chad Ochocinco blown route. In addition to Huff's injury, Raiders RCB Chris Johnson has a recurring hamstring strain. Brady leads all QBs in fantasy points. ... Rob Gronkowski completes the league's newest version of The Triplets as the top-ranked fantasy tight end. With Aaron Hernandez (knee) out in Week 3, Gronk posted season highs in targets (9), receptions (7), and yards (109), and scored two more TDs. He ranks second in the league in touchdown catches, behind Calvin Johnson.

The Pats continue to play weekly matchups in the backfield. Woodhead hasn't hit double-digit touches since the opener, and ranks 45th among fantasy backs. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is 29th, but is coming off a nine-carry, 16-yard clunker at Buffalo, a game in which Law Firm was severely outplayed by Stevan Ridley (52 yards, 8 touches). Even in a projected shootout, I'm not sure you can safely use either of New England's top two backs. Woodhead doesn't get the rock enough, and Green-Ellis is going to lose his job to Ridley soon -- perhaps as soon as this week. If Ridley is on your wire, make sure to pick him up. The differential in burst and versatility between him and Green-Ellis is decidedly in the rookie's favor. ... Despite a big increase in Week 3 snaps (80%), Ochocinco had another awful game. He's making more errors than catches at this point, and it's fair to wonder if his focus is on football. ... Deion Branch is a full-time, every-down receiver in the Patriots' offense, so fantasy owners need to stick with him despite a catch-less Week 3. Branch will be able to get open against Oakland's pass defense, and remains a strong WR3.

Fresh off showering an annually run-tough Jets defense with 178 total yards and two touchdowns, Darren McFadden is the NFL's leading rusher and No. 1 overall fantasy back. McFadden has 72 touches on the year with 26 plays of six or more yards. He has 14 gains of double-digit yardage and only four "negative" plays. McFadden is averaging 6.44 yards per carry. The Bills' offensive line opened massive holes against the Patriots in Week 3, allowing Fred Jackson to total 161 yards and a touchdown while averaging 6.17 YPC. McFadden is a more talented back than Jackson and should shred this unit. ... There is some thought that Michael Bush is the Raiders' favorite for "goal-line carries," but it's not necessarily the case. While it's true that Bush has scored two one-yard touchdowns after play stoppages allowed Oakland to install its base goal-line package, McFadden has scored three times on red-zone plays, and overall has 11 touches inside the opposing 20 compared to Bush's six. There will be a fair chance that the Raiders insert Bush when they reach the one-yard line going forward, but McFadden gets plenty of action in scoring position in the first place, and obviously can punch it in from well beyond the stripe.

Considering the game's projected scoring and the fact that New England has allowed the league's most 20-plus yard completions (23), it'd be a good idea to trot out rookie Denarius Moore as a WR3 this week. Despite Darrius Heyward-Bey's Week 3 return, the Raiders started Moore in a three-receiver set and got him the same number of snaps (49) Moore played during his breakout Week 2. With 224 yards and two touchdowns in his last two games, Moore has "earned" a spot in lineups in this game's setup. ... Grab Jacoby Ford if he's on your waiver wire. While Ford isn't worth starting until he proves on the field that he's over a two-week hamstring pull, Ford will push Moore to lead the Raiders in receiving yards the rest of the way, and may even be a better bet for sheer receptions. ... Jason Campbell's TD-to-INT ratio in his last 12 games stands at 14:5 after a scoreless Week 3. While he's certainly a viable QB2 this week because of the matchup, be aware that Campbell is much more caretaker/game manager than potential standard-league fantasy starter. Campbell's job is to avoid turnovers, not attack defenses aggressively. Don't get too cute.

Score Prediction: Patriots 38, Raiders 24

Miami @ San Diego

Concerning the apparent role change in his backfield, these were coach Norv Turner's post-game comments last Sunday: "The biggest factor, probably, was that (Mike) Tolbert didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday. He was able to practice Friday, but was beat up pretty good coming out of the New England game. It was time to let Ryan (Mathews) take more of the load." Mathews, of course, scored twice on carries inside the Chiefs' five -- usually Tolbert's role -- and played 52 snaps to Tolbert's 20. While it's possible, even probable, that Mathews earned a larger future workload with his 149-yard, two-score effort, Turner’s comments suggest Mathews’ missed practice time this week due to foot pain is an immediate concern. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday that Mathews is "expected" to play, so he needs to be in fantasy lineups against a mediocre, 16th-ranked Dolphins run defense. He's the No. 5 overall pick in fantasy football. Just don't be surprised if Tolbert's usage increases in Week 4, at Mathews' expense. ... As Adam Levitan noted on Wednesday, Randy McMichael has averaged 2.7 catches for 27 yards with two scores in Antonio Gates' seven missed games over the past two seasons. McMichael is really a desperation option only. Gates will not play.

Through three games, the Fins have allowed a league-most eight passing scores and rank 29th in sacks. With top CB Vontae Davis (hamstring) either out again or not at 100 percent, this is a nice opportunity for Philip Rivers' season to get back on track. Rivers has thrown a league-high six interceptions and, according to Pro Football Focus, completed just 3-of-11 deep ball tries. Rivers is one of the game's best vertical passers, so I'd be inclined to chalk up his slow start as a fluke and start Rivers as a shoo-in QB1 against a scuffling Miami pass defense. ... Vincent Jackson owners concerned that double teams might take their fantasy stud out of games need not worry. Unlike Reggie Wayne with the Colts and Dwayne Bowe with the Chiefs, San Diego has alternative offensive threats for whom defenses must account. Deep threat Malcom Floyd (groin) should be healthier this week, and the ground game will be more dangerous with Mathews in the lead role. V-Jax is currently the No. 9 fantasy receiver and leads the Bolts in targets. Start him every week.

Usurping Reggie Bush for Miami's feature back job, Daniel Thomas has 45 touches for 239 yards and a TD in his last two games, averaging a robust 4.93 YPC. His Thursday hamstring flare-up is something of a concern, but there are no indications that it will keep Thomas out of Week 4. San Diego's D-Line is more banged up than any team's in football, so pencil Thomas into your lineup while monitoring health reports through Sunday. ... Chargers LCB Quentin Jammer (hamstring) is unlikely to play, ushering rookie Marcus Gilchrist onto the first team. While Gilchrist held up well against Kansas City's feeble passing game last week, his hands will be far fuller against Brandon Marshall. Long a thorn in the Chargers' side, Marshall is averaging 7.5 catches for 74 yards in his last six meetings with San Diego. ... Bush is no longer a fantasy option barring a surprise, last-minute Thomas scratch. There are whispers that the Fins' Wednesday waiver claim of Steve Slaton was an indictment of Bush, whose snap percentage plummeted to 44.9% in Weeks 2-3 after he was a 97.4-percent player in the opener. ... Chad Henne isn't playing well enough to be used outside of two-QB leagues against a Chargers defense that ranks No. 9 against the pass.

Update: Thomas missed Friday's practice, a strong indication that his availability is indeed in doubt. Because Fins-Bolts has a late start, owners are better off using safer, early-game options. Bush would likely lead Miami's backfield in touches if Thomas missed the game.

Update II: Thomas did not make the team flight to San Diego and has been ruled out for Week 4.

Score Prediction: Chargers 27, Dolphins 17

Sunday Night Football

NY Jets @ Baltimore

I've banged on Shonn Greene in this space before. Let's do it some more. Greene has 41 carries on the year, and 31 (75.6%) have gained four yards or fewer. Since All-Pro C Nick Mangold's high ankle sprain late in the first quarter of Week 2, Greene has 76 yards on 25 carries (3.04 YPC) with 19 touches netting two or fewer yards. His yards-per-carry average for the season is 3.27. Greene just isn't very good, and he's going to look worse against a Baltimore defense holding backs under 3.5 yards per carry with one rushing touchdown allowed in three games. ... Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News is as clued in as any beat writer in the country, so it was telling that this week he suggested LaDainian Tomlinson and Joe McKnight may begin cutting into Greene's load. "When the holes are there," said Mehta, "Shonn Greene doesn't have that explosion getting to the second level. They're not just gonna keep ... handing the ball off to Shonn Greene come Weeks 6, 7, 8, 9 if he's averaging what he's averaging." The Jets' backfield is hands-off this week.

I wouldn't characterize the Ravens' defense as "susceptible to the pass," but it surely presents a better target for offensive coordinators to attack via the air than the ground. Mark Sanchez has at least two TDs in every game so far, and a pair of 330-plus yard efforts. Because New York can no longer lean on its running game, the offense has taken on a pass-first approach. Even if it's only because of situation, Sanchez has emerged as an every-week two-QB league starter and elite QB2. He's currently a top-eight fantasy quarterback. ... Santonio Holmes was openly frustrated with his usage during a one-catch, 19-yard Week 3 game against Oakland. Look for the Jets to make it a point to get their $45 million receiver the rock this week. Somewhat incredibly, Holmes has scored a touchdown in each of his last seven games against Baltimore. ... Dustin Keller leads the Jets in targets, catches, yards, and touchdown receptions. He's a bona-fide TE1 this year. ... The Jets made an obvious effort to get Plaxico Burress the ball more in Week 3 after a catch-less Week 2, and were still only able to do it three times. Plax remains a boom-or-bust WR3, relying heavily on touchdowns to carry his week-to-week fantasy value. He's a very weak PPR play.

The Ravens' offensive staff confirmed its growing confidence in Joe Flacco with a decidedly pass-first Week 3 plan of attack, despite matching up with the Rams' last-ranked run defense. Flacco finished with a whopping 48 attempts compared to 17 rushes from tailbacks. Flacco is only a QB2 against a Darrelle Revis-led Jets defense that's allowed a league-low two TD passes, but it was a promising development for Flacco's future fantasy value. ... Coach Rex Ryan is never shy about media transparency, and on Wednesday all but confirmed that Revis will shadow Anquan Boldin, referring to the three-time Pro Bowler as a more "proven" receiver who causes more "concern" than rookie Torrey Smith. It's hard to imagine using Boldin this week. Per Pro Football Focus, offenses have dared to target Revis three times in the last two games. He hasn't allowed a catch. ... In Waiver Wired, Chris Wesseling did a terrific job of spelling out why Smith isn't an advised Week 4 fantasy play. Ryan went out of his way to promise the Jets will stop Smith, vowing on Thursday that he’d "stay in Baltimore" if the rookie approaches last week's production. Antonio Cromartie will play.

The Jets' run defense has officially sprung a leak. After allowing Maurice Jones-Drew to pop off for 4.89 yards per carry in Week 2, the Raiders annihilated New York for a combined 234 yards and four touchdowns on the ground last Sunday. Oakland averaged 7.31 YPC. This bodes well for Ray Rice, who ranks fourth in fantasy back scoring. Rice is averaging 136.3 yards per game, 5.63 yards per carry, and he's scored three touchdowns. A run-first approach from the Ravens seems likely this week, after last Sunday's uncharacteristic aerial assault. ... Lee Evans (ankle) will not play Sunday, but is likely to get his starting job back from Smith upon return. Hang onto him if possible. ... Ed Dickson isn't putting up big stats, but remains a respectable desperation tight end option. He's an every-down player in the Ravens' offense, and is averaging seven targets a game.

Score Prediction: Ravens 23, Jets 17

Monday Night FootballIndianapolis @ Tampa Bay

The Colts' Week 3 "promotion" of Peyton Manning to offensive playcaller didn't help, at least in terms of personnel usage. While Indy did enjoy more rushing success, Dallas Clark again got stuck on the line trying to block an elite pass rusher. (In Week 1, it was Mario Williams. In Week 3, James Harrison.) Clark predictably got smoked on the line and all but zeroed out of the box score, catching two passes for 12 yards. He again blocked on more plays than he ran routes. Clark has 83 yards on the year and is droppable. ... The Colts' signing of Dan Orlovsky was a strong indication that they plan to start Curtis Painter on Monday, and Kerry Collins' (concussion) inability to practice confirms it. You probably already know, but QB change won't save the passing offense. The Colts showed no confidence in Painter whatsoever by signing Collins in the first place, and in four career appearances the Purdue alum is a pathetic 13-of-39 (33.3%) for 143 yards (3.67 YPA), no touchdowns, two interceptions, four sacks taken, and three fumbles.

With 90 scoreless yards in his last two games, Reggie Wayne has been exposed as a late-career receiver in need of pinpoint, tight-window passing to produce against loaded coverage. Bail quickly on Wayne after his next decent game. He'll be shadowed by Aqib Talib in this one. ... Pierre Garcon posted 82 yards in Week 3, but had another ugly drop and has yet to find the end zone. The Colts would be better off starting Austin Collie, who's been a total non-factor with 53 yards in three games and a brutal 6.6 yards-per-catch average. ... As mentioned above, the Colts just don't believe in Curtis Painter. A run-first approach seems quite likely. Rookie Delone Carter can't play in the passing game and is averaging a pedestrian 3.73 YPC, so the coaching staff flipped the every-down back reins to Joseph Addai in Week 3. Addai, averaging over a full yard per rush attempt better than Carter, scored a goal-line touchdown and racked up 88 yards against an annually tough Steelers run defense. Addai is the best fantasy bet on Indy's side in this game.

Playing at home against an Indianapolis team without an offense, the Bucs should control time of possession on Monday night. While the Colts improved their run defense ranking against the beat-up offensive lines of Cleveland and Pittsburgh, the undersized Indy front seven is likely to have much less success versus 247-pound Bucs power back LeGarrette Blount. Blount has 165 yards and a pair of scores since his clunker Week 1 game. Expect to see more of Blount and less of Earnest Graham as the Bucs play with a lead. ... Kellen Winslow caught two passes for 20 yards in Week 3, with one of the catches flukily shooting through Dezmon Briscoe's hands and into the tight end's waiting arms. Scoreless with his yardage in decline every week so far, Winslow ranks 22nd among tight ends in fantasy scoring. ... Fill-in slot receiver Preston Parker confirmed that his six-catch, 98-yard Week 2 game was a mirage with 11 yards on one reception last week.

Getting wins but struggling for big statistical games in an offense that simply doesn't cater to high-end numbers, Josh Freeman is the No. 24 fantasy quarterback. He's still a good buy-low target in two-QB leagues, particularly if Indianapolis becomes the next team to hold Freeman in check. He's just not a QB1. ... Mike Williams is the Bucs' next-best fantasy option behind Blount in this game, but be aware that zone defenses like the Colts' have been taking him out of games. Before the season, we projected Williams to take a step back in his sophomore year. But we didn't imagine he'd be under 90 yards through three weeks. Defenses are keying up to stop him. ... Arrelious Benn has done nothing to distract defensive attention from Williams, averaging under three catches for 24 yards per week while rotating with Briscoe. Leave them on the waiver wire.